


Missing Howse

by thatromanticweirdo



Category: House M.D.
Genre: Family, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-11
Updated: 2021-01-11
Packaged: 2021-03-15 16:08:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,063
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28691475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatromanticweirdo/pseuds/thatromanticweirdo
Summary: A post-Bombshells AU. House is walking down the corridor when a toddler crashes into and wraps herself around his good leg.
Kudos: 17





	Missing Howse

**So it's possible that I've written the most OOC thing ever? It just sort of came out, I think I have a fluff problem, someone help me. This is set as a post-bombshells AU. Please enjoy!**

* * *

House was sitting in his office glowering angrily at the whiteboard, his brow furrowed in concentration unable to clear the fog from his mind despite the vicodin he was ingesting far too regularly once more. Finally, he gave up trying to ignore the impending increasing needs of his bladder and forced himself up, wincing at the sharp shooting pain running down his leg, limping out of his office.

When he opened his door he immediately grimaced at the sound of a wailing toddler, a too frequent sound he thought to himself, immediately heading in the opposite direction in an attempt to make the noise decrease as his headache worsened. But he stopped in his tracks at the sound of the small voice that he missed desperately, sobbing his name. "Howse?" she called out and the next thing he heard was the sound go tiny feet running at him as fast as her 3-year-old legs could carry her. He turned just in time to see the mini Cuddy collide into his good leg and bury her face into his trousers.

Despite his outward disdain for almost all small children, magnified by the fact that no-one hated him more than Cuddy at this point in time, House was extremely uncharacteristically fond of this particular toddler, going so far as to affectionately nickname her Middles because he claimed 'Mini Cuddles' was too long. Cursing the fact that he couldn't kneel down and scoop her into his arms, he gently grabbed her hand, forcing her to look up at him and tugged her back into his office.

As he sat down onto the recliner where he had first held Rachel, the same little girl, now a bit bigger, clambered up into his arms still sniffing back tears.

"Miss you Howse," she mourned quietly.

"I miss you too Middles," he whispered back, feeling a lump in the back of his throat that he would deny at all costs to Wilson later.

The two sat quietly for a minute before House figured out what had been niggling at the back of his brain.

"How did you get here?" he asked the bundle of warmth curled up on his chest.

"I membered," she replied simply.

"Where was mommy?"

"I was sleepin but I woke up an she gone so I come an find you," she stumbled over the long sentence which she spoke into House's chest.

' _Your mother is going to kill me,_ ' House thought to himself with a wry smile.

As if on cue, Cuddy appeared at the door thoroughly disheveled and stormed into House's office. The relief visible on her face was temporary as she glared at her ex-boyfriend.

"What the hell House? I was about to lock down the whole hospital," she yelled tears a mixture of fear, anger and relief escaping down her face.

"Cuddy I-"

"No House, can you even begin to comprehend what I just went through? I thought my daughter had been kidnapped. This is not even faintly amusing,"

"Would you let me get a word in edgeways woman?" House's raised voice caused Rachel to stir and burrow herself further into him.

"How much of an asshole do you think I am? You think I would steal your daughter? I found her crying at the end of the corridor because she woke up and you weren't there. What the hell kind of parenting is that? She came and found me, not the other way around."

"Don't you dare accuse me of poor parenting after you-"

"I took one vicodin Cuddy, one. And you have spent every day since then punishing me. Stop punishing me, please," House's voice had a raw edge to it, the venomous attack giving way to the tiredness and heartbroken truth that lay beneath the armour he had so carefully constructed.

"How did she even know how to find you?" Cuddy asked quietly.

"She remembered. She's a pretty smart kid," House glanced down at Rachel with a smile. She sat on his lap quietly sucking her thumb watching her mother and her Howse battle.

The three remained in that silence for a minute, it was almost comfortable, familial, the kind of silence you only get in a family unit where everyone almost knows what the other is thinking, but Cuddy couldn't stand it anymore.

"Rachel, come here, let's go home," she reached out to pick her daughter up but was stopped by a defiant yell.

"No. Want to stay with my Howse."

"Rachel," Cuddy repeated, a warning tone edging her voice.

"Miss Howse momma," Rachel began sobbing again, burrowing into House's chest and grabbing on.

"Rachel Cuddy-"

"Hey Middles," House got Rachel's attention immediately and she looked up at him, "you have to go with mom now okay?" he said quietly, looking away to avoid seeing the expression that he knew matched his own.

"No, please Howse," she pleaded.

"I'll come see you later," he lied, knowing that Cuddy wasn't going to let her daughter within a hospital floor of her ex-boyfriend.

But it seemed to do the trick and Rachel acquiesced, releasing House and gently patting him on his cheeks like she used to do whenever he put her to bed, allowing her mother to pick her up.

Cuddy gave House a curt nod and turned to leave with Rachel peering at House over her shoulder.

"Love you Howse," she called out mournfully, making both House and Cuddy freeze momentarily.

"Rachel-"

"I love you too Middles."

* * *

**I know. I know. It's one of the most OOC things ever written in the history of the House fandom. The problem is that it transpires I have no filter for establishing whether something is utter nonsense. And I also think that House would actually make an excellent father - I often find that people with terrible parents make the best parents themselves (I'm not a psychiatrist loves I just have too much time on my hands).**

**I hope everyone's doing okay in these crazy times? If not feel free to drop me a message if you need a chat or a rant.**

**A review would be lovely but only if you have time.**

**Stay safe**

**\- A xx**


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